


At Night

by RebaK1tten



Category: NCIS
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-19
Updated: 2014-01-19
Packaged: 2018-01-09 06:22:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1142541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebaK1tten/pseuds/RebaK1tten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the NCIS Drabble site on LJ - Prompt "night".</p>
<p>Every couple of months, Jethro has what Tony thinks of as “a bad night”</p>
            </blockquote>





	At Night

When Tony wakes up and Jethro isn’t in bed, it’s not that much of a surprise.

Every couple of months, Jethro has what Tony thinks of as “a bad night,” although he doesn’t call it that with Jethro.  He doesn’t mention it, neither of them do.

If it’s not too bad, he’ll find Jethro in the basement, working on his boat or whatever the current project is. Tony might stay down there, pulling a blanket over him and curling up in his chair. Just keeping Jethro company, nothing more.

Some nights are a little worse and Jethro may be sitting in the living room, staring out the window, looking at nothing in particular. 

“Jethro?” Tony asks quietly, waiting until he’s acknowledged. Only then will he put a gentle hand on his husband’s arm, waiting for a second before rubbing gently up to his shoulder. “Come on back to bed.” Usually that’s all it takes, just a reminder that everything’s okay, Jethro has a place and a life and a spouse who needs him.

The bad nights, the scary ones, are when he’s not in the house at all. Once or twice, he’s taken the car, and those are the worst, when Tony can’t do anything but wait for him to come home. Most nights, when Jethro’s not in the house and the car’s in the garage, he checks the backyard and usually finds him outside. He’ll be sitting on the ground against a tree or leaning against a fence, gaze unfocused. “Hey, Jethro,” Tony says and sits next to him. After a few minutes, he’ll put a hand on Jethro’s thigh and sit patiently until Jethro comes back from his memories.

“I should have done more,” he says quietly. “I should have protected her.”

Tony’s never sure just who he’s talking about, maybe Shannon or Kelly or Kate. He just says, “You did what you could.”

“I’m gonna fuck this up. This is the best since…almost forever and I don’t want to fuck this up, Tony.”

“Nope, not gonna happen.” Tony leans against Jethro’s shoulder. He waits a while longer until he feels Jethro relax a tiny bit against him. If it’s cold or wet outside, he’ll say, “I think it’s time to go in the house.” Jethro eventually nods and they get up together. On warmer nights, Tony just pulls Jethro’s arm around him and snuggles into his shoulder until Jethro yawns and pulls them both up to go back into the house.

Back into their warm bed until next time Jethro can’t sleep.


End file.
